Conflict is an inevitable part of loving deeply, yet many of us were never given the tools to navigate it without shame or escalation. In this hands-on, interactive workshop, we’ll move beyond "winning" arguments and toward relational resilience. You’ll learn to dismantle assumptions using open-ended questions, identify your personal conflict mode, and understand mediation as a proactive form of care rather than a last resort. Whether you’re navigating new partnerships or complex polycules, leave with a tangible toolkit to transform friction into deeper connection and mutual understanding.
The Conflict Toolkit
Open-Ended Questions, Conflict Modes, and Mediation as Relationship Care
Saturday, August 22nd
12:45 pm
Room: Maroon Bells
Jen (they/any) is a Holistic Family Consultant and mediator with 10 years of experience supporting polyamorous and/or neurodivergent parents to find solutions to parenting challenges that meet the needs of both parents and children. Their compassionate, playful, and insightful approach combined with a background in trauma informed bodywork, human development, attachment theory, and group facilitation helps families develop relationships that feel connected, joyful, and sustainable. Jen founded Polyam Parenting in 2025 to build resources and develop community among non-monogamous families of all shapes and sizes. Jen’s work with parents includes workshops, small group circles, and 1 on 1 consulting.
I’m Elizabeth M. Franz, and I honor that everyone deserves human-centered, accessible tools to navigate their challenging conversations and build, maintain and even end their relationships. As a professional mediator and a professor at CU Boulder, I designed the Humanz Universal Mediation Model (HUMM) as the foundation for 3 interconnected collectives: Mediatorz Practice, which trains mediators; Humanz Mediate, which offers mediation services; and Humanz Collaborate, provides a variety of services and resources to support collaborations. I’m deeply passionate about empowering communities—especially those exploring diverse relationship structures—with the practical skills that foster genuine connection, manage conflict, and truly thrive as the social species humanz are.